Aston Martin releases V-12 Zagato images

The Aston Martin V-12 Zagato gets the same 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque from a 6.0-liter, quadruple-overhead camshaft V-12 engine that's in the V-12 Vantage.

The Aston Martin V-12 Zagato gets the same 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque from a 6.0-liter, quadruple-overhead camshaft V-12 engine that's in the V-12 Vantage. (Aston Martin)

David Undercoffler, Auto Critic

Aston Martin has just pulled the wraps off the production version of their unique V-12 Zagato. Using the same engine and platform as the Aston Martin V-12 Vantage, this collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato will see only 150 units produced worldwide.

The price of admission? A not-so-insignificant $524,000, depending on the exchange rate.

That's a lot of potatoes for a car that is no lighter and no faster than the V-12 Vantage that served as its genesis. Especially when a V-12 Vantage costs half that amount.

But you're buying exclusivity and possibly history. Aston Martin is making this V-12 Zagato to commemorate the iconic DB4 GT Zagato. That car was made primarily for racing and fewer than two dozen were built in 1961. Surviving examples today are worth seven figures.

We'll have a full interview on Saturday with Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's design director, as he explains the inspiration for this car and the process of designing it. For now, you'll just have to do with some photos, some of which are ours exclusively.